Tobacco products and method of making them



Patented Feb. 1, 1949 TOBACCO PRODUCTS AND METHOD OF MAKING THEM WilliamJ. Hale, Midland, Mich., assignor to The National Agrol Company, Inc.,Washington, D. C., a corporation of Delaware No Drawing. ApplicationAugust 1, 1944, Serial No. 547,628

8 Claims.

This invention relates to methods of treatin tobacco and improvedtobacco compositions.

In my previous application, Serial No. 547,627, filed August 1, 1944, itwas shown that when cured tobacco receives an additional treatment withsolubilized chlorophyll or its related products, the finished tobacco inthe process of smoking undergoes a fuller oxidation by reason of theeffect of said chlorophyll in promoting oxidation.

As previously stated, other substances than tobaccos may be made toundergo a further combustion when catalyzed by the presence of smallamounts of chlorophyll. It has now been found that advantageous resultsaccruing from the use of chlorophyll may be secured by incorporatingchlorophyll and related compounds in cigarette papers.

With this end in view it has proved most practical simply to spraycigarette paper especially with an alcoholic solution of chlorophyll oran aqueous solution of a water-soluble chlorophyll such as chlorophyllinand allow the green paper to dry. If desired, the cigarette paper may besprayed partially with the chlorophyll solution and the partly greenpaper allowed to dry. Furthermore, a finely comminuted powder ofchlorophyll and its congeners may be dusted upon the cigarette paper inits process of preparation. In any event, the inclusion within cigarettepaper of chlorophyll, and particularly with a watersoluble chlorophyllwith or without its congeners and derivatives, is highly contributory toa better and fuller burning of the cigarette paper in the process ofsmoking tobacco wrapped therein. As noted, it is preferred to employ awater-soluble or other highly dispersable form of chlorophyll. The termsolubilized chlorophyll," therefore, as used herein, comprehends thetruly water-soluble forms of chlorophyll such as chlorophyllin' orchlorophyll itself in a suitable solvent therefor so as to thus permitthe chlorophyll to permeate the celluosic wrapper in a condition ofmolecular dispersion.

In the same manner a cigar wrapper may be made to carry an additionalquantity of cholorophyll or its derivatives and congeners and thus bebrought into a condition that favors fuller combustion.

When cigarettes manufactured from properly cured chlorophyllized tobaccoencased within chlorophyllized cigarette paper, are subjected to smokingit is observed that in the products of combustion there is somewhatlower concentration of toxic carbon monoxide than is usually detectedwhen ordinary cigarette paper is employed. Furthermore, there is to benoted a decidedly lessened biting effect in the use of suchchlorophyllized tobacco and cigarette paper than when chlorophyll isabsent due to the specific action of the chlorophyll on certain acridproducts of combustion, both from the tobacco itself and from the paperwrapper. In other words, the treatment minimizes throat irritation Whileaccentuating the desirable flavor and aroma of tobacco. The inventionthus comprehends the use of a chlorophyllized cigarette paper inassociation either with chlorophyllized tobacco or with the usual formof shredded tobacco now employed.

In general, as much as It; to /2 of one percent of the weight ofcigarette paper or cigar wrapper may constitute the proportion ofchlorophyll best required to the purpose. Any proportion aboveapproximately three percent constitutes an unnecessary excess.

As explained in the copending application, chlorophyll or solubilizedchlorophyll such as chlorophyllin may be employed for the describedpurpose together with the naturally occurring carotenoids. Thechlorophyll-carotenoid complex described, as in the previousapplication, under the term verdurin, may be employed in the relativepercentages in which they occur in nature by extracting the chlorophylland carotenoids from leafy green plants.

While preferred modifications of the invention have been described it isto be understood that these are given to illustrate the fundamentalprinciples involved and not as limiting the useful scope of theinvention to the particular illustrative embodiments.

I claim:

1. As an article of manufacture a cigarette having an amount ofsolubilized chlorophyll incorporated in both the shredded tobacco andthe wrapper to enhance the smoking qualities thereof, the amount ofchlorophyll not exceeding substantially 3% on the dry weight of thetobacco.

2. A method of enhancing the smoking quality of cigarettes whichcomprises impregnating the paper wrapper with an alcoholic solutioncontaining chlorophyll the amount of chlorophyll not exceedingsubstantially 3% on the dry weight of the wrapper.

3. A method of enhancing the smoking quality of cigarettes whichcomprises homogeneously impregnating a paper wrapper with quantity ofsolubilized chlorophyll in an amount between 6 of 1% to about of 1% ofthe weight of the paper.

4. As an article or manuiacture a cigarette paper in which ishomogeneously incorporated a quantity of solubilized chlorophyll in anamount not exceeding substantially 3% on the dry weight of the paper.

5. As an article of manufacture thin cellulosic sheets for cigarettepaper, in which is intimately incorporated solubilized chlorophyll in anamount suflicient to induce the oxidation of aldehydic and otherirritating vapors arising from the partial combustion of said paperduring the course of the passage of said vapors over the chlorophyllizedpaper. the chlorophyll being utilized in an amount not more thansubstantially 3% on the dry weight of the paper.

6. As an article of manufacture a cigarette paper in which is intimatelyincorporated a sumcient amount of a solubilized chlorophyll, and notless than the proportion by weight of chorophyll ordinarily occurring infresh green leaves. which amount is sumcient to destroy acridic vaporsin the smoke stream issuing from the partially burn P 1 7. As an articleof manufacture cigarette paper containing approximately of 1% ofsolubilized chlorophyll and approximately /so of 1% o! carotenoids byweight. 1

8. A method or enhancing the smoking quali- 4 ties oi. cigarettes whichcomprises impregnating the paper wrapper with a solution of solubilizedchlorophyll, the amount of chlorophyll being approximately of 1% byweight 01' the paper.

WILLIAM J. HALE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the tile ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 604,338 Rickard May 17. 18981,871,151 Brown Aug. 9, 1932 2,029,494 Loewenthal Feb. 4, 1938 2,091,598Laniry Aug. 31, 1937 2,098,110 Schertz et al Nov. 2, 1937 2,131,394 TestSept. 27, 1938 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 215,370 Germany Oct.25, 1909 224,324 Germany July 14, 1910 1,626 Great Britain 1901 6,662Great Britain 1914 514,605 Great Britain 1939 518,958 Great Britain Mar.12, 1940

